the power of mantra
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32
The Power of Mantra
What exactly is a mantra? How can a mantra cure a fever?
"A practitioner chants a mantra and summons the heavenly Water Deity to
descend. The Sanskrit syllable Vam in the mantra means water. You fight fire with
water, and when the fire is subdued, the fever goes away. It is that simple."
❖ Grandfather Mala 04
❖ Avoiding a Land and Mud Slide 18
Living This Moment In Purity
Living this Moment in Purity consists of thirteen fascinating true stories detailing
the karmic consequences of sexual misconduct. It also explains how the energy
practice of Buddhist Tantrayana works as an antidote to the arousal of sexual lust.
❖ Heaven Knows 32
❖ The Divine Fans 41
Household Feng-Shui
With a knowledge inherited from his guru, plus over twenty years of geomantic sur-
veying experience, Master Lu shares with us theories of household feng shui and
illustrates with real life cases. The secrets unveiled are priceless!
❖ Avoiding Living in "Low and Overshadowed" Areas 56
❖ Fire Problems in the Kitchen 62
The Inner World of the Lake
The very first time I saw this lake, I was amazed by its vivacious prospects, Lake
Sammamish is surrounded by hills with water as bright as the moon. Words cannot
justly describe its beauty, all I can do is using my clumsy hand to write down a tiny
portion of it.
❖ Master, What Do You Have? 67
❖ The World Of A Crystal Ball 72
Contemplation Under the Lonesome Light
Earth is a prison of the universe. Whoever has karmic hindrances is sent to earth
as punishment.
We must cut through our delusions and realize the Truth, in order to be released
from this prison.
❖ The Thought of Suicide 76
❖ The Earth Is A Prison 80
The Aura of Wisdom
This article is written for disciples who have just taken refuge and begun their initial
practice of True Buddha Tantric dharma. As a novice, it is important to have faith in
the Root Guru, trusting the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. This is the very heart of
your spiritual conviction.
❖ Spiritual Response 83
❖ Self Importance 86
Whispers of the Breeze
For an ordinary person, there is only one correct path that leads to purification: by
conquering anxiety and grief, and banish anger and pains. To walk on this path is
to practice the Four Earnest Contemplations - Contemplation of the body; the emo-
tions; the mind & the phenomena.
❖ How to Settle One's Thoughts 89
❖ Temporary Manifestations 93
Contents
5
by one they entered his house to deliver the golden
sand. I knew right away that the family would soon pos-
sess great wealth. Eventually, his name became well
known and he held a position in the government. His
wealth increased astronomically and he became the
country's wealthiest man.
These are my experiences of reading Feng Shui
If debtor ghosts demanding payment surround the
individual, he is doomed to fail. If wealth deities sur-
round the individual, he is destined to prosper. Thus,
the invisible hand of spirits affects everything.
I once went to a night market in front of a temple
for a midnight supper. In front of the temple was an
empty lot with a small stall. The stall only sold four
items, which were herbal soup, noodle, rice flour roll
and green vegetables.
There were many tables around the stall and they
were all occupied with customers who were eager to
taste the food. It was much like ants after cookies. I
opened my divine eye to examine the man running the
stall, and what I witnessed was frightening. The open
field was filled with more than a hundred patrons visit-
Translated by Lotus Cheng
Grandfather Mala
In the past, whenever I read the Feng Shui of a
person's home, I observed both the visible and
the invisible worlds. The invisible world refers to the
realm of spirits.
I will divulge a great secret:
I was once invited to do a Feng Shui reading for a
certain prestigious household in Kaoshing, Taiwan.
Once I entered the house, I saw many poverty ghosts
occupying the place. These ghosts were the debtors of
the owner. I instantly knew that this prestigious person
would soon lose his wealth altogether. Indeed, soon
afterwards, his business failed miserably.
On another occasion, I visited the home of a poor
man in a village to read the Feng Shui of his house. His
house was typical of a Chinese village courtyard. I saw
lots of spirits, like an army of ants, carrying sacks of
golden sand on their backs marching to his house. One
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Book 148
The Power of Mantra
Chapter 2
7
tomers and cleaned up their tables, and this was quite
perplexing.
I suspected that the old man learned how to keep
psychic entities to help him. But upon closer observa-
tion, though he looked unpleasant, he did not have any
negative energy lingering around his body.
From a distance, I looked at the stall and the area
of land it was on and observed some glowing beams of
red light emerging from the ground, forming a red cloud
over the area. This may have explained why the stall
was so prosperous. Perhaps it was due to the auspi-
cious Feng Shui of the place. The other stalls did not
enjoy the same kind of customer traffic as that one stall
did. They were barely surviving to make ends meet.
This was indeed interesting.
One day, a certain individual came to seek my
consultation. He wanted to find a name for his grand-
son, and when I looked at him, I realized he was the
same old man who ran the stall.
I said to him, "Your business is doing very well!"
"It's just nothing. Nothing at all." The old man said
modestly.
ing the stall, and an equal number of spirits roaming the
area. These spirits had swayed the customers to
patronize this stall. When the spirits lure one in, one
obeys.
The stall was famous for its herbal soup, and the
taste was delicious. Every night, the traffic of customers
flowed in and out like an ocean tide. His business was
so prosperous that his wealth flowed like the running
tap water. Someone said that the stall owner smiled
while calculating his earnings at home. Another said
that the stall owner owned a few apartments and his
wealth was measured in the billions.
I paid close attention to the stall owner's facial fea-
tures. I observed that his face was dark and gloomy,
with a sunken nose, tiny mouth, small eyes and hardly
any flesh on his face. He certainly did not look like he
was a man of great wealth but instead resembled a
homeless old man.
I felt there was nothing remarkable about this old
man. But how do you explain his wealth? Besides
being rich, he had so many spirits helping to lure cus-
tomers to his stall. The spirits also attended to the cus-
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9
a good track record of accuracy. It was rare to hear
someone remark "Impossible." Rather, it was impossi-
ble for my divine eye and ear to make a wrong obser-
vation. If there was ever any mistake in my observation,
I was always able to pinpoint the cause of it.
"Does anyone at your home know how to chant a
mantra?" I asked him.
"Neither my wife nor my kids know how to chant a
mantra." Pan Ji replied.
"Do any of your other relatives know how to chant
a mantra?" I asked.
"Do the deceased count?"
"Yes," I replied.
Pan Ji proceeded to tell me, "In my family, only my
grandfather Pan Li knew how to chant a mantra. Once,
a monk gave my grandfather a string of chanting beads
and taught him how to chant the Earth God Mantra. My
grandfather recited the mantra for his entire life using
the mala[1] . He chanted on it so much that it eventually
turned black and became shiny."
"Where is mala now?" I believed I had found my
answer.
"What's the secret of your good business?" I
asked curiously.
"Luck is on my side!" the old man grinned, expos-
ing his two rows of black teeth.
"I believe there's more than just luck." I said.
"Why don't you read the divination for me?" He
requested.
The old man wrote down his name, birth date and
address.
I made a quick spiritual observation and sensed
the sound of a mantra filling the atmosphere, accompa-
nied by the scent of sandalwood. I also saw radiating
circles of light, and within each circle stood a Fortune
God. This was most astonishing.
"Do you know how to recite any mantras?" I
asked.
"Nope!" Pan Ji, the old man replied.
"I heard the sounds of a mantra and smelled the
scent of sandalwood. I saw the Fortune God by your
side."
"Impossible!"
I have helped many in my consultations and have
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11
sincerity attracted the Earth God to protect him. This
mantra is neither from the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas nor
the Vajra Protectors. It is not a major mantra, yet it
should not be underestimated as it contains amazing
power.
If anyone is troubled by spirit entities and recites
this mantra, the spirits will retreat and give you their
respect.
If anyone contracts illness and recites this mantra,
the illness will leave. All pain will disappear and one's
health will return.
In the past, I had taught people how to chant this
mantra as it is especially helpful for curing several
forms of dermatitis such as athlete's foot, chronic der-
matitis, discoid eczema, etc. By chanting the mantra,
those who have skin-related illnesses should be cured
because the Earth God devours the bacteria on the
skin.
If one recites this mantra diligently and upholds
the Five Precepts and Ten Wholesome Deeds, then
one will not fall in to the three lower realms and hell. In
fact, one will be reborn in the heaven realm and enjoy
"My grandfather passed it down to my father, and
my father gave it to me, but I don't know where I put it. I
think I'll ask my wife to help me find it."
Pan Ji returned home and asked his wife about
the mala. She told him, "The mala is tucked away
inside a hidden crack at your stall. Nobody was aware
of this."
Pan Ji searched and found the mala at the stall.
He then took the darkened mala and showed it to me.
He didn't know the value of the prayer beads.
I told Pan Ji, "Your grandfather, Pan Li, received
protection from the Earth God. This is the result of recit-
ing the Earth God Mantra, respecting the Earth God,
visualizing the Earth God, and praising the Earth God."
The Earth God Mantra is as follows:
Namo san-man-doh, moo-toh-nam, om, doo-loo-
doo-loo, dei-wei, soha.
The Earth God Mantra is usually chanted before
reciting a sutra. This is to summon the Earth Gods from
the four directions to guard over you while you recite
the sutra.
Pan Li spent his entire life reciting this mantra. His
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13
animals to death. Owners of many farms had
approached me for help.
I studied the constellation of the stars and noted
that the Five Plague Gods had descended from the
southeastern area of the sky. This meant that an epi-
demic would sweep the world, resulting in the death of
many chickens, ducks, cattle, sheep and pigs.
I was worried.
I approached Cheng Huang Bodhisattva , the City
Patron Bodhisattva, for help and he said, "This is fate, it
is not my demand!"
"Even if it is the will of the Heaven, I can not just
watch people suffer."
"Don't interfere. People's hearts are too corrupt-
ed."
"How can I have peace in my mind? I have to
save the poor souls!" I uttered.
Cheng Huang Bodhisattva said to me, "You,
Sheng-yen Lu try to help people everyday, but their suf-
fering is due to their wrong doing. They deserve it! If
one day someone hurts you, I wonder if anyone will
save you."
utmost bliss and pleasure. The Earth God Mantra is
also most effective in terms of accumulating wealth
because the Earth Gods and their attendant ghosts will
help those who recite the mantra to receive countless
fortunes.
Pan Li devoted his life to chanting this mantra and
achieved great results with it. The mala had been
passed down from grandfather to father, and from
father to son. Nonetheless, the blessings followed and
were passed down as well. This was simply incredible.
Thus, I wrote a verse:
Filled with pleasure while reciting Buddha's epithet
and mantra.
Now then, one has found the heritage in samsara.
Continue to recite sincerely and respectfully.
The blessing of Gods and Ghosts will be with one
perpetually.
There is another story related to the Earth God
Mantra.
There was a period when an epidemic swept over
Taiwan, and many livestock were killed. I observed
many plague ghosts roaming in the wild and biting the
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15
However, many other farmers were unaware of
this method and during that year when the epidemic
occurred, many livestock died. There was hardly
enough time to bury every dead chicken or cattle, and
the carcasses piled up high like a hill.
One farm owner relayed this incident to me.
One night, he overheard some conversation that
took place outside his farm. However, it was not human
beings but plague ghosts who were speaking. A wave
of them arrived outside the farm.
One ghost exclaimed, "The l ight of mantra
emanates from this farm. We cannot enter."
"What mantra?" another asked.
"The Earth God Mantra."
"That mantra is no big deal. It cannot stop us.
Let's go!"
"No way!"
"Why not?"
"The Earth God is after all a righteous god."
"We have our orders by the heavenly decree!" the
ghost shouted.
"But this mantra is empowered by the Living
I answered, "If someone hurts me, that's my own
karma--but looking at all these suffering souls, I really
feel for them in my heart."
Cheng Huang Bodhisattva then taught me a
method:
Take four sticks of bamboo and chip away the
green outer layer. Each stick must be one foot six inch-
es long. On the lunar calendar day, the
Accomplishment Day, chop the bamboo sticks. On
each stick, inscribe the letters of the Earth God Mantra
in either Chinese or Sanskrit.
In the afternoon of the lunar Removal Day , con-
secrate the bamboo sticks. Recite the Earth God
Mantra 108 times for each stick. The more you recite,
the merrier. On the lunar Stability Day, hammer the
bamboo sticks on the four corners of the ground of the
respective farm.
When this is completed, plague will not touch the
respective farm. I taught this method to the farm own-
ers and it worked! Each farm that was lined with the
mantra-empowered bamboo sticks was protected from
plague. Not even one livestock was killed.
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17
Footnote
1. prayer beads
2. The Exorcistate - -the 3rd of the Minor Orders is The
Order of Exorcist, according to the Traditional Catholic Rite of
Holy Orders.
Buddha-Lian sheng, Sheng-yen Lu himself."
"Really!"
The ghosts fell silent. One of them suggested,
"Let's leave this place! We can feed ourselves else-
where. Besides the small Earth God Mantra, there's
also the Buddha's edict. It's better to leave it alone."
Thus, this bunch of ghosts left the farm.
Let me share this with you. Many wealthy men
owe their riches to the help of spirits. Many disasters
are the result of mischief from spirits. You see the hand
of these entities at work in all of these incidents.
Confucius once said, "Respect the spirit world but
keep your distance." This means that the spirit world
does exist, but we hardly pay attention to it.
In the Bible, Jesus once expelled spirits and exor-
cised demons. In the Catholic's instruction for the
Exorcistate[2], the 3rd of the Minor Orders , it outlines
the rite of exorcism. The 75 year-old Father Amorth is
himself a famous Catholic exorcism priest!
The invisible spirits are worthy of our attention!
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19
years, Venerable Zhou Ying thought he could shut me
up once and for all by discussing the Buddha dharma
with me. All it would take is one flaw in my speech and
he would go for the kill.
I smiled, remaining firm in my verbal defense.
"Master Lu, you are neither preaching Buddhism
nor Taoism. People talk about you!"
"Let me ask you this: is the highest peak connect-
ed with the deepest sea?"
The Venerable Zhou Ying said, "Why do you have
to include the spirits?"
"As mighty as the universe may be, it is nothing
more than a bubble." I uttered.
Venerable Zhou Ying could no longer question me
in this topic any further.
Then he asked, " Master Lu. You claim you have
supernatural power. Can you offer me some proof?"
"I wish to save your life!" I uttered.
"Save my life?" unconvinced, Venerable Zhou
Ying sneered at me and said, "I can liberate myself. I
don't need your help."
"Whether you are liberated or not is of no concern
Avoiding a Land and Mud Slide
Once had a discussion on Buddhism with
Venerable Zhou Ying.
"Master Lu, you claim that you're enlightened.
May I ask what enlightenment is?"
"I replied, "This is beyond words."
"How does one know?"
"You know what you experience, whether it is
warm or cold."
"Even a three-year-old can say that!" Venerable
Zhou Ying said.
"Yes, indeed. But you need to ask yourself if
you're truly free within, or not."
"Does the Tao have a form?"
"As it is, the Tao is formless."
"If the Tao is formless, how does it seek its bal-
ance?" Venerable Zhou Ying asked.
"It does it naturally."
Having been practicing Zen for the past twenty
18
Chapter 4
21
Protect me in all places and at all times."
Venerable Zhou Ying said, "You saw four men in
black around me and I see nothing. You want me to
recite the Marici Bodhisattva Mantra. I can do this. You
say that I will encounter a disaster. If nothing happens
to me, I will expose you as a fraud, and your so-called
enlightenment will be reduced to nothing more than just
plain mental knowledge."
I told him, "It's really up to you."
The Venerable Zhou Ying clasped his palms and
left.
Actually, when the monk first approached me, I
already sensed that he would face a disaster. That was
because he had four men in black, who were spirit offi-
cials waiting for him.
These four spirit officials were ahead of the monk,
and they wanted to rush into my house. ?I stopped
them before they could enter and they had to linger
around the vicinity as they were waiting for him.
This is how I secretly save many sentient beings.
Many face calamities and they do not necessarily know
about them. I would not let them know. I help them
here. You have a pending disaster coming your way."
"Rubbish! This is just one of those fortune-teller's
tricks."
"Believe it or not, it's up to you."
"Alright then, go ahead and tell me about it!"
"There are four men in black who are near you,
and they want to take your life!"
"How do I protect myself?"
"Chant the Marici Bodhisattva Mantra."
I spoke in no uncertain terms to the monk, "Chant
the Marici Bodhisattva Mantra: Om Marici-yee So Ha."
I added, "When you chant the mantra, you must
also recite the following:
Protect me against troubles from any ruler.
Protect me from thieves.
Protect me in my travels.
Protect me from disasters of fire and water.
Protect me from harm in a war.
Protect me from psychic attack.
Protect me from being poisoned.
Protect me from wild beasts, poisonous insects
and all enemies.
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Japan. However, while in Japan, he developed a strong
interest in Buddhism and was ordained as a monk in a
famous Zen monastery of the Soto Sect in Kyoto. His
lineage thus comes from Japan.
I learned that the Patriarchal lineage of the Zen
School had stopped with the Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng,
due to a dispute over the Fifth Patriarch's Dharma robe.
It has since blossomed into the five sects of Zen
Buddhism, which are the Lin Ji Sect (Rinzai Sect),
T'sao Tung Sect (Soto Sect), Wei Yang Sect, Yun Men
Sect and Fa Yen Sect.
Zen Buddhism is known as the teaching of the
heart.
The name of Zen was adopted for this school dur-
ing the beginning of the T'ang Dynasty. Zen means cul-
tivation of one's thoughts, which is the process of con-
templating on truth itself. This is a practice of serenity
and concentration.
The First Patriarch,Bodhi dharma,a Southern
Indian, arrived in China during the Liang Dynasty to
transmit the School of Buddha Mind teachings.
His method emphasizes the importance of serene
resolve their situations without their knowledge.
Actually, there is bound to be some degree of
calamity in our lives. Shakyamuni Buddha foresaw this
when he said, "The human life is one of uncertainty."
Thus:
The Three Realms of Existence are engulfed in
one scorching flame.
Even the ordained are not ensured safety.
Impermanence awaits one nevertheless.
Calm your thoughts and prepare yourself for the
final journey.
I am aware that people are afraid of calamity and
disaster. Thus, I cultivate daily and secretly help many
go through their hard times. I chanted the Marici
Bodhisattva Mantra, and I dedicated the merits to
Venerable Zhou Ying. With my help, Venerable Zhou
Ying would be saved.
Venerable Zhou Ying lived alone in a small hut,
deep within the Bagua Mountain in Changhua, Taiwan.
He practiced Zen meditation and sat cross-legged
in yoga posture.
The monk was once a student studying abroad in
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25
As he listened closely, it became: "Marici! Marici!
Marici!"
He recited a line of the Mantra, "Om Marici-yee So
Ha."
In the mist of the heavy downpour, Venerable
Zhou Ying quickly got up and put on his raincoat and
rain boots. Holding a torch in his hands, he hurried out
of his hut to search for the crying child:
"Mommy! Marici!"
Was it Mommy or Marici? He could not tell the dif-
ference.
The cry was swinging from the front to the back
area, and switched from the left to the right. It was as if
someone was playing hide-and-seek with him.
He walked for an hour in the storm.
Suddenly, the cry disappeared. He waited for a
long time and listened. There was not a faint noise in
range, and he quickly realized there was nobody living
within the parameter of the vicinity. If there were no
family living in this mountainous area, what would be
the chances of finding any child crying?
Venerable Zhou Ying rushed back to his hut, only
meditation and silent recital, expressing the Buddha
Mind and focusing on the practice of concentration and
purification. In so doing, the method gives the impres-
sion of sitting in meditation; hence it is known as the
Zen School.
The Zen School stresses the following:
Omission of the written language,
Direct revelation of the mind,
Attaining Buddhahood through Enlightenment,and
Active discussion on Prajna, or wisdom.
One stormy night, Venerable Zhou Ying was medi-
tating alone in his hut. The rain had been pouring for
three consecutive days and nights. Venerable Zhou
Ying was aware that the market place at the foot of the
mountain was swamped. If the rain persisted, a flood
would be inevitable.
Suddenly, the cry of a child was heard outside the
hut, and the sound intermingled with the pouring rain.
"Mommy! Mommy!"
Venerable Zhou Ying raised his head and listened:
"Mommy! Mommy!" The words kept repeating and
it was definitely a child's cry.
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As the saying goes:
If you burn the incense, you shall be protected.
If you consume food, you shall be energized.
Mommy!
Marici!
They sound alike.
After leaving Bagua Mountain, Venerable Zhou
Ying took shelter with various temples and monasteries
all over Taiwan. He was used to living the life of a her-
mit and cultivating alone in his little hut, indulging in
almost ascetic-like practices. After experiencing the
calamity, he switched from being a hermit to living
among others. This was a new experience for him.
He met many fellow cultivators and heard many
mentions of Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu.
Generally speaking, most would choose to criticize me
as negative news, and such consciousness spreads its
influence. Thus, most practitioners tend to reject me
and only a handful chooses to reserve their comments.
This is the state of affairs in the religious circle.
Venerable Zhou Ying listened but kept his views to
himself. When others called me a Mara or a heresy, he
to find that it was gone. A mudslide had buried the hut
under a pile of rocks and mud, forming a molehill.
Rocks and mud kept sliding downwards from the
mountaintop, and he found himself in extreme danger.
Frightened, Venerable Zhou Ying fled the area where
he had spent two years meditating.
His life was spared, but his hut, together with all
his possession were gone.
Upon reflection, Venerable Zhou Ying realized that
he had to go through this calamity. He remembered
that this was prophesied by Living Buddha Lian-shen,
Sheng-yen Lu. The four spirit officials in black clothing
were waiting to arrest him. It was the suggestion of
Living Buddha Lian-shen that he chant the Marici
Bodhisattva Mantra, while placing more emphasis on it
as his protection mantra.
Although Venerable Zhou Ying practices Zen, he
was exposed to the teachings of other schools in his
life.
He chanted the Marici Bodhisattva Mantra in his
younger days, and was now able to continue chanting
the mantra upon my suggestion.
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"But your reputation suffers!"
"Reputation is immaterial in the light of one's spiri-
tual discipline. The experience is much needed for any-
one to attain Buddhahood."
Venerable Zhou Ying nodded.
I told Venerable Zhou Ying, "When I was about to
leave my master, Venerable Liao Ming and descend
from the mountain, my Master told me that a person
like me has only three options. The first option is to
enter Nirvana immediately. The second option is to take
seclusion in the deep mountains, never to appear
again. Or take the last option, which is to act as a fool
among people."
"Oh!"
I smiled and continued, "I am happy and content-
ed within myself and I don't care what others say about
me."
"Do you have regrets?" Venerable Zhou Ying
asked.
"No!"
"Are you hurt?"
"No!"
sat in silence, knowing the truth about what had hap-
pened. He wanted to clear my name but being outnum-
bered, he would not stand a chance against the mass.
He decided to save his breath and remained silent
throughout the conversation.
Venerable Zhou Ying visited me and mentioned
what he had heard.
He said, "Why don't you change your approach to
liberate sentient beings and use a new and different
way altogether? You can start building a new founda-
tion through it."
I replied, "People's minds are set about me. It may
seem easy to start all over again, but it would take a lot
of work and time to change things."
"You must at least have some hope!"
"Once people make up their mind about you, it's
going stay that way forever. I'm used to this and it does-
n't matter."
"You think it is unnecessary?" Venerable Zhou
Ying asked.
"Yes. I take slander and criticism for the better. I
take it as my own spiritual discipline!"
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while, and finally nodded his head. He realized what I
meant and said; "I understand this in principle. But put-
ting it into practice and eventually mastering this art
constitutes a True Buddha!"
Here's a verse:
One two three four five six seven,
Still the mind and ascend to the Western Heaven.
It seems so easy when the words of Buddha are
spoken,
Yet one stumbles, plunging into mud too often.
"What about praise and ridicule, misery and
honor?"
"They mean nothing to me! Life is but a game to
me, and I merely experience it to the fullest."
Venerable Zhou Ying invited me to ascend to my
teaching seat with the greatest respect, and he pros-
trated before me three times, in all sincerity.
"Why such prostration?"
"To thank you for saving my life!"
"I didn't save you. You saved yourself!"
"That's because you instructed me on what to do!"
I remained silent.
Venerable Zhou Ying told me this before leaving
my place: "I feel like leaving this human world of suffer-
ing."
I told him, "It's all in your heart. If your heart is
free, then that is truly leaving this world behind."
"You mean I should adjust and adapt to this
world?"
"Nope! There is no human world to begin with." I
said.
Venerable Zhou Ying contemplated on this for a
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and prosperity will flourish. A bright and beautiful future
awaits him."
I then directed my next question towards Cui Jia,
"Why do the gods keep replying with 'heaven knows'?"
Cui Jia was taken aback. Blushing in embarrass-
ment, he related the following story to me.
In his college days, Cui Jia had rented a room in a
residential home near his school. The landlady, a very
beautiful and charming woman, was quite a flirt, and
the young Cui Jia found himself rather enamored of her
- particularly her alluring eyes in which he also detected
affection toward himself. The mere thought of her
would send flutters through his heart.
One day, the landlord traveled out of town on a
business trip. As Cui Jia happened to pass by the mas-
ter bedroom, the door opened, and inside, the landlord
's wife stood gazing seductively at Cui Jia with an invit-
ing, flirtatious expression across her face. Cui Jia stood
motionless as his eyes locked with hers. Heat rushed
through his body, and he could hardly contain himself.
The young woman spoke, "No one will know."
He was young and full of sexual desire. As Cui Jia
Translated by Jenny Chow
Heaven Knows
On one occasion a man by the name of Cui Jia
sought me for a consultation. Cui Jia - hand-
some, tall, and very fit - came to seek information con-
cerning his future.
Upon asking the gods in the spirit realm for guid-
ance on his behalf, I received the answer: "Heaven
knows."
The response initially seemed a bit strange. Of
course "heaven knows" but what did that have to do
with Cui Jia 's future? I asked my question a second
time. Once again, the response given was, "Heaven
knows."
I made a third attempt to ask my question, and the
response was the same. However, this time, I received
the additional message, "Due to the merits accumulat-
ed from 'heaven knows,' extra blessings will be
bestowed upon this individual, and his fame, career,
32
Book 145 Living This Moment InPurity
Chapter 3
35
knows, heaven knows, heaven knows, persisted in his
conscience.
Other people may not know, but heaven knows.
Human beings may be deceived, but one cannot
deceive the heavens.
Eventually his will power prevailed, and he never
opened his door.
The next morning, Cui Jia hurriedly moved out of
the building and moved in with another classmate. He
did not dare mention the incident to anyone; even to his
closest friends, he gave the simple excuse that the
house had merely been unsuitable for him.
So, as it turns out:
Indeed,
No one knows.
Yet Heaven knows.
Cui Jia then proceeded to tell me of another
strange incident.
During his college days, he had moved five differ-
ent times. This particular event, which occurred after
the incident with the young woman, took place while he
was lodging at a boarding house for students.
took a step forward, his heart pounded with excitement.
She continued, "It's all right to have some fun
once in a while. No one else knows but us."
Suddenly, Cui Jia recalled a phrase he had
learned in school as a child: "Heaven knows,earth
knows,you know,and I know-these are the 'four wit-
nesses'."He stopped in his tracks and said to the young
wife,"It may appear as though no one else knows, but
heaven knows."
The young woman then replied, "So what if heav-
en knows?"
Cui Jia responded, "Heaven knows, heaven
knows, heaven knows!" He then turned his back on the
young woman and quickly walked away.
That same night, she came to knock on Cui Jia's
bedroom door. She was leaning against the wall right
outside his room, and he could smell her perfume waft-
ing in through the cracks of the doorframe. Several
times, he almost unlocked his door, knowing perfectly
well that as soon as he opened it, her warm, volup-
tuous body would fall into his embrace. "Why not open
the door?" he asked himself. But the phrase heaven
34
37
corpses.
Prior to this event, Cui Jia did not believe in the
world of spirits and held no religious beliefs.
Afterwards, however, he no longer doubted the
existence of gods in this universe. The alarm call, wak-
ing him from his sleep, obviously had been a warning
message from heaven.
I spoke to Cui Jia, "Gods and spirits indeed occu-
py the invisible world around us. One may try to
deceive others in a dark room, but the penetrating eyes
of gods perceive everything."
Cui Jia responded,"Indeed, heaven knows."
I said to him, "You should be commended for your
high morals and will power."
Cui Jia's face reddened and he said, "Oh, but it
was just luck!"
"Good and evil." I began.
Cui Jia finished my sentence, "are only separated
by a single thought."
"A moment's error may become the regret of a
lifetime."
"When one repents, one may be already at the
One night while he was fast asleep, Cui Jia sud-
denly heard a voice in his dreams saying, "Heaven
knows, get out of bed quickly. Heaven knows, get out of
bed quickly. Heaven knows, get out of bed quickly."
The voice had been very clear, and waking from
his sleep, he jumped out of bed. Running to look out-
side his window, he saw flames and thick smoke billow-
ing from the house next door. Immediately he woke the
other students in the house and, before escaping,
made an emergency call to report the fire.
By the time Cui Jia had run out of the house, the
flames from next door had already spread to his resi-
dence. Soon even the house in which he had been liv-
ing became completely engulfed in flames. Altogether,
six two-story buildings burned down. Many were killed
and injured in that fire, and there was a great loss of
property and possessions.
As Cui Jia shuddered in terror, recalling this inci-
dent, he was reminded that had he not heard the words
"heaven knows, get out of bed quickly",he would have
remained deep in sleep. He and his friends, trapped in
the sea of fire, would likely have been burnt to charcoal
36
39
removed? All that remains is a skeleton. When the
body is viewed anatomically, one sees internal organs
filled with blood, feces, and urine reeking of an unclean
and offensive stench.By engaging in this kind of view,
one will find the body's physical characteristics quite
horrible and disgusting. "
"What if one cannot perform this visualization? "
"As one's sexual urges begin to rage out of con-
trol, just stop and imagine the consequences. Taking
that one step may very likely prevent future loss of
wealth and reputation. Otherwise, not only might one
bring shame to one's family and ancestors, one's
infamy may spread, having adverse influence on one's
children and grandchildren, and even destroy the
career one has worked so hard to build up. Just think-
ing of these consequences is absolutely terrifying. This
should cool down those surging sexual desires right
away!"
"What if one still cannot restrain oneself. Then
what happens? "
I could only respond, "A moment's pleasure will
bring unending disaster and misfortune."
end of one's life."
I explained to Cui Jia, " In today's world, with
increasing interaction between men and women, rela-
tionships have become increasingly complicated.
People no longer concern themselves with traditional
principles governing relationships between the sexes.
What differentiates humans from other animals is man's
sense of ethics. Without morals and guiding values,
men are no different than birds and beasts. There are
actually people who have abandoned ethics, and they
are worse off than the birds and beasts."
"How should we maintain our vigilance?" Cui Jia
asked.
I replied, "As the Forty-two Chapters Sutra says:
regard all older women as your own mother or elder
sisters, all younger women as your younger sisters or
daughters. Developing this kind of view can help extin-
guish one's licentious thoughts."
"What if one finds it difficult to maintain this view?
Then, what should one do?"
"Learn to practice the unclean view. What remains
of a beautiful woman once her outer skin and flesh are
38
41
The Divine Fans
Mr. Yao Tong, an older student who was fifty
years old, came to me one time for a con-
sultation. Yao Tong had been married for thirty years,
but he and his wife were childless.
"Is it in our destiny to have children?" Yao Tong
asked me. "Master, you are a Living Buddha and have
helped many people with their problems and illnesses.
Please bless us and fulfill our wish."
"If it is in one's destiny to have something, one will
eventually get it. Otherwise, the situation should not be
forced," I replied.
When Yao Tong heard this, he said calmly, "I know
such things are, indeed, predestined and cannot be
forced. But I just wish to find out whether or not it is in
my fate to have any children."
"No," I replied.
Two years after the consultation, Yao Tong's wife
gave birth to a pair of beautiful twin boys. They had full
Chapter 12"But so many people enjoy engaging in such pur-
suits of momentary happiness," Cui Jia said. "Some
would have no regrets even if they had to risk death!"
"The Buddha has taught: pleasure is emptiness,
form is emptiness."
"Generally though, people cannot see this."
My final response was, "One creates one's own
blessings and disasters."
In fact, our dialogue addresses a serious issue
facing many members of contemporary societies.
Ultimately, these matters can only be decided by each
individual depending on his or her conscience, moral
character, and power of stability developed from spiritu-
al cultivation. In the invisible world around us, gods and
spirits do exist. You may think that no one else knows
but, in reality, heaven knows and cannot be deceived. It
is my wish that everyone will cherish their bodies and
souls, preserve their purity, and engage in spiritual cul-
tivation to transcend the sufferings of transmigration.
40
43
might have shunned me, criticized and cursed me
behind my back, or told everyone about the inaccuracy
of my readings.
I said to him, "There must be a reason behind this.
In fact, you look different from the last time I saw you.
Today, you have a red light covering your crown,
where, in the past, there were traces of black vapor.
Something has changed."
Yao Tong said, "I know Master is very good at
observing people's chi, but I also wish to find out the
reason behind the birth of my sons."
"Let me do some investigating, and I will get back
to you,"
I said, my face reddening.
"Thank you!" said Yao Tong.
That night I had a dream. In the dream, I found
myself arriving at a magnificent, ancient-looking temple.
Upon my arrival, beating drums and gongs sounded,
and two rows of ghosts and spirits prostrated before the
temple.
The main diety of the temple, Duke Wei-ling,
stood at the front door, and he brought his palms
foreheads, high-bridged noses, and thick earlobes. All
who saw them commented on their fine features.
Yao Tong and his wife brought the twins to show
me and wanted me to name them. I named them Yao
Jing and Yao Xian.
Yao Tong said to me, "Master, for many years, we
have had faith in your psychic powers of divination.
That is why, after having these two sons, we came to
you to have you name them for us. We have great
respect in the Master's reputation. However, two years
ago, when I consulted you regarding whether or not we
would have any children, your answer was no. Now we
have these sons. Why have things turned out this
way?"
Yao Tong was a straightforward person and I
could not help but feel embarrassed about my previous
forecast. How could my psychic divination have erred?
Actually, Yao Tong had not blamed me. He had even
brought the babies to me to name them, and he still
had great reverence for me. He merely wanted to find
out why the prior consultation was wrong. If such a
thing had happened to another individual, that person
42
45
"That sounds like the plantain leaf fan from
Journey to the West," I said.
"Not quite the same, but almost."
"Where are your two divine fan attendants now?" I
asked Duke Wei-Iing.
"They have been reborn into the human world."
"To which family have they been reborn?"
"Into the home of Yao Tong."
When I heard Yao Tong's name, I was shocked.
Just as I was wondering how I would find an answer to
my puzzle, the answer popped up quite by chance.
"But according to his life reading, Yao Tong was
not supposed to have any sons!" I remarked. "Why
were the divine fan attendants born into his family?"
"It is true that his life reading held no sons," Duke
Wei-ling concurred. "Yao Tong has visited my temple
and prayed to me many times. And, though he was
very sincere, I saw the trace of black chi upon his face
and did not grant him his wish. However, I later
received an edict from the Jade Emperor, ordering me
to give him the divine fan attendants as sons so he
would have a line of illustrious descendents."
together in greeting.
I stopped, afraid to step forward.
Duke Wei-ling called out, "Please come inside,
Lian-sheng. Why are you still standing outside the tem-
ple?"
"I don't feel I have the virtues or abilities deserving
of this welcome," I replied, embarrassed.
"A lofty heart is a great virtue and trying one's best
indicates great ability."
I walked into the temple and sat down at the guest
table while Duke Wei-ling and the other spirits sat at
the host's and side tables respectively. Immediately,
food and liquor were served. Although the food at this
banquet could not compare with the delicacies found in
the realms of devas, it was still very good. The liquor
was smooth yet strong and, after one sip, my whole
face turned red.
Duke Wei-ling laughed, "I used to have two divine
fan attendants. On hot days, with one wave of their
fans, all heat would disappear. If they waved twice, the
weather would turn chilly. Three waves of their fans
would send frost and snow hailing from above."
44
47
Yao Tong then related to me a dream he had had
the night before his sons were born. "In my dream, I
saw thousands of auspicious, beaming lights above the
roof of my house. From the sky, two fans descended.
They were not ordinary fans. They looked antique, and
were covered with very intricate and elaborate designs.
I could see the patterns very clearly. When the dream
was over, the babies were born. It was such a strange
dream that, until now, I had not dared to share it with
anyone."
"Also, there was the incident regarding Wu Yan."
"You know about that as well?"
"Please tell me the details."
Thus Yao Tong proceeded to tell me the following
true story of his encounter with Wu Yan.
One night, while strolling along the riverbank, Yao
Tong saw a young woman standing for a long time by
the side of the river. Yao Tong watched as the woman
slowly started walking towards the middle of the river.
She had soon walked so far that her head was no
longer above water.
It was late at night, and no one else was around.
"He must have undergone some transformative
experiences in his life. What exactly happened?"
Duke Wei-ling answered, "I don't know the details
of the story but, what I do know, is that Yao Tong saved
the life of a woman named Wu Yan and also main-
tained his integrity by rejecting a sexual liaison offered
to him. Because of these honorable actions, he was
blessed with two more years added to his life, enlist-
ment into officialdom, and the birth of his two sons. In
the future, these two sons will rise head and shoulders
above others and enjoy great fortunes. In fact, when
Yao Tong visited my temple after the birth of his two
sons, I saw that his facial features, chi, and complexion
had improved. I also saw a reddish halo above his
head."
"So, that was what happened," I said to myself.
Afterwards, Duke Wei-ling and I had a pleasant
talk.
Later, when I again met with Yao Tong, I dis-
cussed with him the transforming of his fate and told
him that his two sons were the incarnations of the
divine fan attendants.
46
49
Yao Tong's wife saw that Wu Yan was young and
quite pretty. Although she had made a mistake in her
life, the girl seemed like a kind person, and so she also
agreed that Yao Tong should take her in as a second
wife. If Wu Yan could bear her husband a son, she
would accept it as part of a divine plan.
But Yao Tong felt differently about the matter. To
him, such a proposal was immoral because it meant he
would be taking advantage of someone in a crisis. He
had acted out of good intentions, and to culminate the
incident in lust and an improper sexual liaison seemed
to him a breach of honor. Also, he felt that the differ-
ence in their age would render the whole affair quite
unethical, so he solemnly rejected the offer. He would
rather have no sons than risk such a sexual transgres-
sion.
Wu Yan and Yao Tong's wife tried many times to
persuade him to change his mind, but Yao Tong stead-
fastly refused.
Soon afterwards, Yao Tong's wife actually found
herself pregnant, and a medical examination showed
that she would have twins.
After calling out several times for help and receiving no
response, Yao Tong ran into the water to save the girl.
Luckily Yao Tong had been a frogman in the navy when
he was young. He loved swimming and had received
training as a lifeguard, so in no time, he rescued the
young woman and brought her safely to shore.
The woman was Wu Yan. When Yao Tong asked
her why she had tried to drown herself, she told him
that because of her naivety, she had been swindled by
a group of con artists and gambled away three million
Taiwanese dollars The debt collectors had been press-
ing her daily to pay the money. Afraid of being repri-
manded by her family, and with no means to pay off her
debt, she had decided to kill herself. When Yao Tong
heard her story, his compassion was aroused. He
decided to help her and pay off her debt. Wu Yan was
extremely grateful to Yao Tong. Not only had he saved
her life, but he had also paid off her entire gambling
debt. It was as if he had given her a new life. When she
learned that Yao Tong had no descendents, she willing-
ly offered herself to him as a concubine to bear him
sons.
48
51
divination is primarily to teach people to act properly
and avoid disasters in their lives. It is based on good
intentions. What has happened to me is karma. Causes
in previous lives had shaped a destiny of no children in
this lifetime, but actions in this life resulted in a change
of luck. As a result of luck enhancement, I now have
two sons."
The Buddhist monk asked, "How can one tell if
Sheng-yen Lu really is capable of spiritual divination, or
if he was just making it all up?"
Yao Tong replied, "He knew about the incident
with Wu Yan."
"Perhaps he had made investigations into your
affairs and found that out."
Yao Tong made no reply.
The Buddhist monk remarked determinedly,
"Sheng-yen Lu is evil, and he is also a heretic."
Yao Tong replied, "The Living Buddha has taught
us that observation of the five precepts and ten whole-
some actions is virtuous. Conversely, breaking the five
precepts and ten wholesome deeds is evil.
The Buddhist scriptures have said that the world
As stated in these verses:
What a wonderful change in one's fate;
Fortune comes hand in hand with auspiciousness;
Saving another's life and abstaining from lust are
true virtues;
Lucky stars will appear and life will sail smoothly.
Yao Tong once related the conversations he had
with me to a Buddhist monk. The Buddhist monk said
to him, "If you had remained childless, Sheng-yen Lu
would have claimed his reading to be accurate. If your
wife gave birth to a son, Sheng-yen Lu would tell you
his divination was still correct, but that something had
happened to change your fate. Either way, his divina-
tion would be correct. I don't see how you can still trust
spiritual divinations, or Sheng-yen Lu for that matter."
Yao Tong replied, "The Buddhist sutras have said
that in this world, there are fixed as well as unfixed
dharmas. All phenomena are impermanent, and every-
thing undergoes change. The Buddha himself did not
say that one's destiny is fixed, and he believed that fate
could be changed. Thus there are practices one can
study to establish a new life. The purpose of spiritual
50
53
Lian-Sheng for many years and spent quite a bit of time
with him. He spends his days writing, painting, and
meditating. He does his practice every day without fail
and, to date, he has published one hundred and forty
books. At times, he will put aside part of his day to help
others resolve their problems and crises. He truly
demonstrates earnest compassion for people of this
world. He abides in the nature of the mind, and his
actions are in keeping with his words. There are not
many people like him in the world. Take for example,
his allowing others to pay him whatever they like.
People outside of the school may have no knowledge
of this, but anyone who has had any contact with him
will know this is true. So, the rumors that claim he swin-
dles money are great injustices. Although there is much
outside slandering, the Living Buddha has always
remained unperturbed. He has only instructed us to do
the following two things. First, do not argue. Instead
use disagreements as opportunities to practice 'the art
of perfecting patience and endurance.' Second, regard
a negative encounter as an opportunity to resolve one's
karmic hindrance. For thirty years, he has learned from
abounds in heretics. In fact, seeking dharma beyond
one's heart is a transgression. The Living Buddha has
taught us that practicing Buddhism is to cultivate the
Buddha Mind to transcend birth and death and realize
one's true nature!"
When the Buddhist monk heard this, he could not
disagree. Yet he still argued, "I have heard that he
swindles people out of their money!"
Yao Tong replied, "In his whole life, the Living
Buddha has never stipulated a fee for anything. He
allows people to pay whatever they like, so how can
that be considered swindling? In fact, he never even
wanted ownership of any of the True Buddha School
temples."
The Buddhist monk was silent for a moment. Then
he came up with another accusation, "I have heard that
he takes sexual advantage of female students."
"Have you witnessed any of this?" asked Yao
Tong.
"No, but I have heard such accusations from other
people," was the monk's response.
Yao Tong remarked, "I have known Living Buddha
52
55
yet people of the world do not recognize this. How can I
awaken all these people from their dreams? When I tell
them the truth, they cannot recognize it and mistake it
to be false.
"My master once told me that there are only three
options for a truly enlightened being. The first is to
immediately enter nirvana. The second is to live as a
mountain hermit. The third is to pretend that one is a
lunatic. He made this comment because the survival
rate of an enlightened being is not high, and one will
eventually be persecuted to death by others."
Yet, I am someone who cannot bear to see the
fallen people of this world rolling and suffering amidst a
world of red dust and bitter seas. So the best way for
me to transmit my teachings is by writing books, day
after day, year after year. I shall be waiting on the other
shore!
As for the circulating rumors, just let them be!
the tormenting of slanderers to become as expansive
as the heavens and the earth. This virtue has earned
him a great deal of respect from the realm of spirits."
The Buddhist monk was silent.
Yao Tong came back to tell me of his encounter
with the Buddhist monk. I in turn, was silent.
I thought to myself, "I have devoted this entire life
to the study and practice of Buddhism and the cultiva-
tion of the Tao. I have discovered that the most impor-
tant goal in life is the transcending of birth and death.
Anything else is auxiliary. I have always ignored outside
rumors and slanders. To achieve liberation, I have
steadfastly studied and practiced the Tantric Dharma in
seclusion."
Now that I have finally attained Enlightenment and
transcended the six realms of transmigration, I can
commune with Buddhas in all times and space. My
original intent was to completely reveal the secrets of
the workings of the divine, but I was afraid that evil peo-
ple would obtain this knowledge and use it maliciously.
"The teachings of the Buddha dharma are inex-
haustible. What I have attained is so real and practical,
54
Translated by Janny Chow
Chapter 2:
Avoid Living in "Low andOvershadowed" Areas
In my younger days, I performed numerous
feng-shui consultations. The one rule I always
maintained was to treat everyone equally, whether they
were rich or poor. When the rich came to seek my serv-
ices, I gladly advised them. When the poor families
approached me for help, I gladly accepted their invita-
tions.
During these times, whenever I agreed to feng-
shui readings, I also stuck to one important principle: I
never asked for a service fee but allowed the other par-
ties to pay whatever they wished.
Since my only motive for studying geomancy was
to help people, I have done readings for very poor fami-
lies. One such family, whose head of the household
made a living by selling vegetables, lived in a very low
area at the foot of a broken precipice that rose in a
56 57
steep wall to the sky. The area around the house was
surrounded by bamboo. After studying the house and
its surrounding geographical features, I came to the
conclusion that the house fit the pattern of that of a "low
and overshadowed" house.
As written in The Secrets of Earth Magic:
The lowest site will meet suicide.
The overshadowed site will encounter unexpected
hardships.
My analysis turned out to be an accurate one.
After a fight caused by their declining financial situation,
the owner's wife committed suicide by drinking insecti-
cide. The grandmother of the household became half
paralyzed from a severe case of rheumatoid arthritis.
One child was afflicted with polio, another with asthma.
The owner himself, who worked as hard as he could to
sell his vegetables, was facing a crushing defeat.
Why are houses built in low and hollow sites tied
to the fate of suicide? This is because such houses are
always in an inferior position. People living in such
houses develop emotional blockages and have trouble
seeing their own ideals fulfilled. Due to their frustrated
Book 69
Household Feng-Shui
Chapter 2
59
considered frequent visitors." He replied, "We rarely
have any visitors." I asked him to check with the grand-
mother to find out if there were, indeed, two visitors at
their house. To his surprise, the grandmother confirmed
my words. She described seeing a man in black and a
woman in red, in Ch'ing Dynasty attire, frequently enter-
ing and exiting their home. This reply brought great
shock to the owner.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" he asked the
grandmother. The grandmother replied, "I was worried
you might be frightened. Besides, I didn't think you
would believe me. You would probably have accused
me of hallucinating and becoming senile."
I told the owner that the low and overshadowed
site was unsuitable as a residence because it encour-
aged the convergence of yin spirits. A healthy person
living there would become ill and encounter numerous
hardships. Oftentimes, due to the influence of disem-
bodied spirit, one may succumb to their calling and
attempt to commit suicide.
The grandmother was aware of the yin spirits
because she was at the end of her years. The yang
emotional state, they often fail to find safe exits when
angered or provoked. Also, low and hollow sites are
sites of 'yin' energy, where disembodied spirits and
ghosts like to converge. "Yin spirits" may play mischie-
vous tricks on one and engender thoughts of suicide.
The close proximity of the tall and broken cliff to
the house created a feeling of being 'pressure and
overshadowed.' This 'suppression' type pattern predis-
poses one to strange illness. The closeness of the tall
and broken cliff also provoked a sense of desolation
and misery. Living in such a house, one would never
have the opportunity to become wealthy.
There is also a more realistic problem for homes
built in the hollows at the foot of mountains. During
rains, water accumulates and does not drain quickly.
When earthquakes strike, an avalanche may bury the
entire house. How can one not be wary of the inherent
problems of such sites?
I asked the owner of the house, "Are there seven
inhabitants in your house now?" He gave me a puzzled
look. "There are only five." I smiled and said, "There
are indeed seven, although two of the seven could be
58
61
skillful means. More important is the goal to move and
inspire people to practice the "transcendental" Buddha
dharma.
So, before selecting a building site, one should
first inspect the terrain. This is just too important a fac-
tor to ignore. Too high a terrain invites "feng-sha" (nox-
ious wind energy); too low a terrain invites "shui-sha"
(noxious water energy). An ideal site is neither too high
nor too low.
The study of the feng-shui of homes is actually a
study of balance and harmony. To learn feng-shui, one
must first master 'the art of balance and harmony.'
energy in her body was dispersing as yin energy accu-
mulated, and this had led to an opening of her psychic
vision.
Some feng-shui practitioners believe a low and
hollow site accumulates chi from the water element.
Because water is regarded as the equivalent of money,
such a site is considered a wealthy spot. However,
ensuring optimal movement of 'water chi' into such a
site requires proper inflow of 'major water chi' and an
outflow of 'minor water chi' Otherwise, the sole inflow of
major water chi without an outlet, will cause every resi-
dent of the home to become 'engulfed by the water.'
A house built upon a site that is too low and too
hollow is therefore inauspicious. It is also inauspicious
to have a tall, broken cliff directly behind (or to either
side of) the house as this overshadows the house.
I remember, after the reading, I received a red
envelope with fifty Taiwanese dollars (approximately
US$1.25 then) from the owner. I did not mind the
amount because I knew they were poor, and I was not
a feng-shui master who sought to profit from his consul-
tations. Feng-shui, as a worldly Dharma, is merely a
60
Chapter 2:
Fire Problems in the Kitchen
Anewlywed couple once invited me to their
home for a feng-shui consultation. They lived
in a very beautiful home surrounded by trees with red
blossoms and berries. While inspecting the kitchen, I
realized that the position of the stove presented a prob-
lem. Their "designer" home had the stove built right in
the center of the kitchen. It stood in the middle of the
room, unshielded by any objects. Furthermore, the
faucet and basin were located directly across from the
stove.
Such a placement is problematic for two reasons:
1) It is important that the kitchen fire be located in
a place that gathers chi. Only a fire that gathers chi can
continually burn and maintain its temperature.
According to the book The Secrets of Earth Magic, a
stove should be protected on three sides with chi flow-
ing in from the fourth side. The best locations for stoves
are the south, east, or southwest positions.
62 63
Although an unshielded stove located in a central
island is a convenient working area, it does not afford
the advantage of easily storing chi. Quick dissipation of
the temperature of the stove fire can lead to the dissi-
pation of money.
2) It is disastrous to have the kitchen faucet direct-
ly facing the stove fire, as this symbolizes the clashing
of fire and water. From my observations, such a design
portends great trouble and can lead to sexual promis-
cuity and excessive drinking.
Upon arrival, I noticed that the mistress of the
house was a very beautiful, graceful lady with tapering
fingers and soft palms. Her shoulders were round and
her back not too thin. In terms of physiognomy, the
upper, middle, and lower segments of her face were
well proportioned. She had the hallmark features of a
distinguished woman. But I also noticed a coquettish-
ness in her bright, almond-shaped eyes and a charm-
ing seductiveness in the way she moved and swayed-
characteristics of someone with 'secret peach-blossom
luck.' (The term 'peach-blossom luck' in Chinese refers
to the luck one has in attracting lovers.)
Chapter 15
65
and each went their separated ways.
I would like everyone to heed this fact: if the
"kitchen fire" is situated in the center of the kitchen,
then whichever direction the faucet is installed in - north
,south, east, or west - chances are that it will be sitting
directly across from the stove fire. With the faucet a
symbol for "yang" and the stove a symbol for "yin," this
is an omen for licentiousness and promiscuity.
I have noticed that the designer kitchens of many
new homes in the United States have stoves built right
in the middle of the kitchens. Architects of such kitchen
designs are definitely uninformed in the science of
feng-shui. Although their goal may be to create a con-
venient, aesthetic space, they are, however, contribut-
ing to the flourishing of licentiousness!
I want readers to know that, when one enters a
house, fire must not be the first thing one sees. This
means that the kitchen or the fireplace should not be
the first thing seen upon entering a home. Avoid having
these two types of "fire chi" facing the front door.
In business settings, such as restaurants, under
no circumstances should stoves (gas stoves, water
I asked my friend, "Do the newlyweds believe in
feng-shui?"
The mutual friend who had invited me said, "Only
a little. They work in scientific fields."
"Then the purpose for my coming today was...?" I
asked.
"Just to get acquainted with them and take a look
around," answered my friend.
Since I was only there to get acquainted and enjoy
the home's gorgeous furnishings, I needed to be tactful
by commenting only on the good and avoiding mention
of anything negative. I wanted the meeting to be har-
monious and cheerful, and I did not want my friends to
feel any unpleasantness in the air.
It was only after leaving the house that I told my
friend to give a message to the owners: they must recti-
fy the fire problem in the kitchen.
The owners ignored my advice.
A year later, I learned that the lady of the house
had had an extramarital affair with her supervisor at
work, and her husband had a mistress and had
become an alcoholic. In the end, the marriage ended
64
67
Translated by Janny Chow
Ch\
Master, What Do You Have?
Amedical doctor from a far away country came
to visit me at the lakeside of Lake
Sammamish. We sat solemnly and quietly at a round
table, facing each other.
"Master",said the doctor, "I find it strange that,
although all the people in the world have two eyes, one
nose, one mouth and two ears, you are honored as a
master and I am not."
I smiled, "Yes, the principle is very obvious. Why
are you honored as a medical doctor and I am not?"
"Master, I find you to be very ordinary. You have
not even shaved very well. Your hair needs a haircut
and your clothes are dusty."
"You are right. Your medically trained eyes are
quite extraordinary, and your observation is also very
keen. A so-called master or guru is a person who seeks
inner illumination, that is, the shimmering inner heart
Book 60The Inner World of the
Lake
Chapter 19
heaters, electric stoves, electric cookers, etc.) be
installed at the center of the cross of the restaurant.
Such centrally located "fire chi" can pollute the air
inside the entire restaurant, creating a hot and fiery
atmosphere. In such an environment, business part-
ners will not get along and customers will not feel com-
fortable. Over time, they will not want to set foot in the
restaurant. And even more importantly, "fire chi" in the
center makes it difficult for "earth chi" to remain bal-
anced.
In the kitchen, one must also pay attention to the
following things: Make sure garbage does not accumu-
late, is well contained, sealed, and frequently disposed
of. Pay attention to the flow of water in the kitchen sink.
Also, select a stove fan that does not have its working
parts exposed, and install a range hood that does not
protrude too conspicuously as this also affects kitchen
feng-shui. Finally, one must not install skylights in
kitchens as this is conducive to the upward spreading
of "fire chi." A skylight opening in the kitchen incurs
unexpected accidents and calamities.
66
69
Nothingness most; he also teaches his disciples about
Emptiness and Nothingness. These abilities are what
the master has."
"Is there anything else you know?"
"No, nothing more. Except for this: a true master
can understand Lake Sammamish, but the worldly peo-
ple do not necessarily understand Lake Sammamish.
"Lake? This lake is an ordinary lake. Is there
something special about it?"
"Yes, Lake Sammamish is an ordinary, common
lake. Apart from the water and the surrounding moun-
tains, trees, and grass, it does not appear to have any-
thing else. But, if this Lake Sammamish merges with a
true master, then new and abundant knowledge will be
generated. The thoughts, the wisdom, the Emptiness
and Nothingness will emerge. This is what is different
about what a master has."
The doctor and I left the enclosing wall, crossed a
wide street, and approached the lakeside. The sounds
of the lake were murmuring. I opened up my mind and
merged with the lake. I was not being controlled by the
lake, nor was I controlling the lake. I was not teaching
which shines like a diamond. Externally, perhaps, he is
practicing asceticism and radiating only the light of ordi-
nary glass.
"Then master, what do you have? What makes so
many people in this world pay so much respect to
you?"
"Many people venerate me and learn from me, but
not because they want to learn such arts as painting or
music. Nor are they after the means to earn money, nor
how to dress well and neatly. They are learning from
me inner illumination. All I have to offer is just the
knowledge which leads to inner illumination. Perhaps
this is considered by some to be foolish and passe."
"Master, can you explain it in a more concrete
way?"
"You might not understand what I will say, but you
can try to listen carefully. A true Vajra Master is some-
one who understands thoughts and visualization best;
he also teaches others about thoughts and visualiza-
tion. A true Vajra Master is someone who has the
supreme wisdom; he also teaches about wisdom. A
true Vajra Master understands Emptiness and
68
71
need to appease or humor anyone; no need to learn to
be slick and sly; no need to bow to the powerful. At the
side of Lake Sammamish, there is no need to be too
humble; nobody is a master and nobody is a servant.
All is spontaneous and equal.
I feel that I am very fortunate. Being a foolish
Tantric practitioner, I am able to cultivate many useful
things at the lakeside. These bits and pieces of Truth
and Wisdom of the Cosmos are the priceless pearls of
the world and can produce numerous masters. And no
robber can take away these kinds of priceless pearls.
Let me write a verse!
The master answered the doctor,
"My path is not lonely;
Accompanied by the famous lake,
Truth will never wither."
the lake, nor was the lake teaching me.
But, the doctor did not quite understand what was
going on. He was totally unconnected to the lake. Lake
Sammamish is Lake Sammamish, and the doctor is the
doctor. Just like a pig butcher who has no need for any
church prayer, the doctor did not feel the necessity of
prayer at all.
The doctor did not understand Lake
Sammamish.Perhaps in the residences by the lakeside,
there are many people who also do not understand
Lake Sammamish.
So, in not understanding Lake Sammamish, they
are naturally not able to understand the master.
Life at the lakeside is very pure and simple; it is
also free of difficulties and strain. Worry has long since
drifted far, far away. Desiring nothing has also made
everything very easy. Clothes are unimportant; money
is unimportant; the etiquette of people interacting with
each other is unimportant. With no disruptive dreams, I
always sleep throughout the night, not waking until the
sun rises.
I have no need to call and inquire after anyone; no
70
The World Of A Crystal Ball
About three miles to the southeast of Lake
Sammamish, there is a medium-sized shop-
ping mall. It is a very neat and tidy mall and in it is a
small arts and crafts store.
On the bottom shelf of the store's glass showcase,
five crystal balls were on display. The crystal balls,
huge, round, and sparkling, were cushioned on a tripod
stand drawn by three horses. They were exquisite. I
asked the pretty salesgirl to bring one out for me to look
at. First she took a piece of clean paper, carefully
picked up a crystal ball with it, then cautiously handed it
to me.
This emerald green and transparent crystal ball
was extremely clear and sparkling. Inside the crystal,
lustrous and clean bubbles of emerald and azure were
arising from its depth. This extremely beautiful crystal
ball seemed to be pregnant with mysteries.
"What is this crystal ball for?" I asked knowingly.
72 73
The pretty salesgirl, with a unique smile, said,
"This crystal ball can tell one's fate."
"To know or not to know one's fate, which is bet-
ter?"
Unexpectedly this American young lady seemed
to know about contemplation. She hesitated for a while,
then smiled and said meaningfully, "To know or not to
know, it's the same."
Hearing her answer, I felt that she understood
fate, just as I have understood it. Many, many people
are very curious about their own fate and, when they
have time, they find someone to read their fate for
them. In our society there are all kinds of popular meth-
ods used for prediction, and many people study these
various methods to make a living.
Knowing one's fate, one still has to walk on the
road of fate.
Not knowing one's fate, one still has to walk on
the road of fate.
Knowing or not knowing really makes no differ-
ence. That is why people who read others' fate often
will not read their own, and why, when they obviously
Chapter 31
75
have become silent. To the other person, I just smile,
even though I understand everything about him.
Whenever I look at an object, I can tell all that is going
to happen to it. But, it is just a flash in the pan. A flash
in the pan, too many, many flashes in the pan-I know,
but I cannot bring myself to say it.
Fate, the law of Causes and Effects in the natural
world. I know all about it but I will not say anything
about it, so what is the difference between knowing and
not knowing?
Facing the ones that I cannot tell, I will only smile,
laugh, or smile with tears. In my eyes fate is like the
flowing water and many people people who know noth-
ing, people who have nothing-are washed away by it.
Many people get washed away without understanding
anything. I laugh at myself, also at others, and all the
more at this world.
Will I buy a crystal ball? A crystal ball does have
its own mystery; light from the crystal can merge with
and enter into one's consciousness. But, after one buys
a crystal ball, it is possible that the crystal will become
a substitute, and one will become dependent on it and
know something, they cannot say it.
Take me for example! I know about many, many
events: events in the cosmos, events in the spiritual
realms, events in the heavens, events under the
ground, events in this human world. I have acquired
this ability through studying. This power and ability of
mine enable me to understand a person's fate when I
meet him.
But, can I tell him?
He is going to die of an accident.
He is going to be bankrupt and will lose every-
thing.
He is going to come down with the most serious
kind of terminal illness.
Fate. Ha! What can one do even if one knows
about it! Can one tell it? Everything in this world is like
a flash in the pan. Though I know about everything, it is
the same as not knowing anything. Though I possess
all the wisdom, I actually do not possess anything. I
seem to have become a newborn infant, knowing noth-
ing and owning nothing.
I have not lost my ability and power, it is just that I
74
77
Translated by Harmony
The Thought of Suicide
I was asked once, "Grand Master Lu, please tell
us the truth, have you ever thought of commit-
ting suicide?"
My answer was, " Yes! Let me tell you this: I
attempted suicide when I was a sixth grader in elemen-
tary school."
"Oh!" the people were all very shocked.
I revealed more, "My brother Zhao-rong Lu killed
himself by drinking potassium hydroxide."
Again, everyone was stunned when they heard
this.
According to an analysis by a famous psycholo-
gist, the percentage of people who have suicidal ten-
dencies is definitely not small. Moreover, the number of
people who have ever had suicidal thoughts is even
greater. Fortunately, for most people, thoughts of killing
themselves are immediately eradicated by reason. If
Book 158Contemplation Under the Lonesome Light
Chapter 6
lose one's wisdom and ability to think.
Do I need a crystal ball? Of course not. Because
Lake Sammamish is actually my crystal ball. I know
Lake Sammamish is a crystal ball lake and every con-
sciousness can be reflected by it. All the fates, from a
minute single thought to the most significant prediction,
are all in Lake Sammamish.
I might buy a crystal ball though, because the
shining bubbles rising up inside the crystal are so beau-
tiful and the crystal is such a wonderful realm. I will
place it on my desk and, when I have time, I will gaze
at it as if I were looking at Lake Sammamish. It is a kind
of beauty, not reality.
To go and look at a crystal ball. Not because one
wants to read one's fate in it. There is no need to read
one's fate.
But, because of its beauty of perfect roundness,
one has a deep fondness for it.
76
79
death.
So what happens when you reach a dead end in
your life? My advice is to search for the happiness of
the moment. Life's journey should be completed with
pure joy.
What do you do when you are humiliated, over-
pressured or in great pain? Buddha taught us
Tolerance Paramita. After practicing tolerance, you can
reach the other shore.
Now I think that as long as you don't die, happi-
ness and bliss will come eventually. If you die, not even
hope remains. Therefore, it is wise not to commit sui-
cide.
this were not so, the human race would be nearly
extinct from suicides.
I recently wrote several articles admonishing peo-
ple not to harbor suicidal thoughts and not to commit
suicide.
Since I possess spiritual connections I know that
the souls of people who commit suicide experience
much greater suffering than other souls. After a suicide,
it's very hard for the soul to be delivered because it had
violated the first of the Five Precepts - abstaining from
killing - which results in very heavy negative karma.
Even if these souls are able to cleanse all their
karma and reincarnate as human beings, they either
become handicapped with blindness, deafness, and/or
muteness, or they become people with incomplete
brains, hands, or legs - these people live in immense
pain. In general, most suicides do not gain any sympa-
thy from the world. Instead, suicides only leave those
who want to get rid of them rubbing their hands with
glee. Therefore, what kind of benefit do they derive
from suicide when it only hurts their family and delights
their enemies? In my opinion, it's dying an unproductive
78
81
In my opinion, I consider the earth is a 'prison' for
the universe. Anyone with karma is sent to earth for
punishment. Coming to this world is to experience suf-
fering: birth, age, sickness, death, separation from
loved ones, meeting with the hateful, yearning for
someone or something, and the five aggregates. This
human planet has the most worries and the most
impermanence, and is the least happy, the filthiest and
the darkest place. Just think for a moment - "hell", "hun-
gry ghosts" and "animals" are called the Three Lower
Realms. On this human planet, some people live in a
hell, like hungry ghosts and animals. Isn't the earth a
prison?
According to the Ksitigarbha Sutra, the deeds and
thoughts of the sentient beings of our world
(Jambudvipa) constantly cause transgressions and cre-
ate negative karma and sins. Human beings come with
inherent karma and sins, and ignorance is the root of
sin. A person with bad karma wil l be punished.
Therefore, it makes sense that the earth is a prison.
We cultivators must cut through our delusions and
realize the truth, supersede the ordinary and enter the
The Earth Is A Prison
Somebody once said that the earth is a mental
institution in the universe. Whoever has an
unstable mental disposition is sent to earth. Therefore,
countries on earth are mentally unstable, people are
mentally unstable, and societies are mentally unstable
too.
According to an analysis by psychologists, just
about everyone has mental obstructions in one form or
another, but the syndromes are not prominent in some
people. Some people feel oppressed, some are
depressed, some don't talk, some are impatient, some
are emotionally unstable.
In fact, there is some basis to calling the earth the
biggest mental institution. This is really an era of
unhappiness. The young, the middle-aged and the old
are all very depressed and worried. They all have emo-
tional problems. Everyone's body, mind and soul are in
trouble.
80
Chapter 22
83
Translated by Janny Chow Ch\
Spiritual Response
It is relatively easy to receive spiritual response
through the cultivation of the Tantric teachings.
This is a well known fact. It is due largely to the Vajra
Master who embodies the Triple Jewels of the Buddha,
Dharma, and Sangha. He holds immeasurable merits
of all the Buddhas, and has the remarkable power of
blessings.
An enlightened vajra master may bless a person
who keeps a firm and pure faith but has yet to begin
any form of practice. This is like a person holding a jug
of Dharma milk and pouring it into the empty bowl of
the receiver. The person who is blessed at once
receives the Dharma milk which fills his or her being,
achieving the fulfillment of spiritual response.
In the Tantric teachings, it is common to find a per-
son without prior cultivation and who has barely taken
refuge or received empowerment and yet able to gain
Book 154
The Aura of Wisdom
Chapter 5
supreme holy stream. At a minimum, we need to prac-
tice the Five Precepts and Ten Virtues in order to be
released from this prison.
82
85
such a mindset, the further one deviates from the Right
View, completely unaware of being trapped in Mara.
If one's body, speech and mind are pure, it is nor-
mal to receive responses.
If one persists in cultivation, it is also normal to
receive responses from the respective deities and
Dharma protectors.
Do not hold the thought that one has attained the
highest spiritual state, superseding the achievements of
all Dharma friends, monks, nuns and masters. Once
such vanity arises, it is as good as being deluded by
Mara. C
immediate response.
Should one experience a string of responses and
spiritual phenomena, it is important to remain calm, and
treat these events as normal occurrences. One's mind
should maintain a sense of balance, best remaining in
a state of non-attachment and renunciation. Whether
you have spiritual responses or not is perfectly fine, for
we should not be too attached to such matters.
When you have responses, you may talk to the
Master, or relate them to your fellow initiates. It is best
to share your experiences with the Master, and use
your responses as a basis of encouragement among
initiates. Refrain from telling outsiders. Why? People
outside your spiritual circle may not believe in such
matters, and you may invite criticism, causing more
afflictions instead.
A person with spiritual responses should be cau-
tioned against showing off his or her experiences,
which would be a display of vanity. Know that vanity is
the seed of the Mara demon, and many have fallen into
the path of Mara upon receiving spiritual responses due
to this mentality. Hence, the further one cultivates with
84
87
others are merely devils. He once commented that a
senior monk was a manifestation of the devil, and that
Sri Satya Sai Baba was being possessed by a serpent
entity. The Japanese Aum Shinrikyo cult was derived
from hell ghosts. The qigong masters from mainland
China are all being possessed by animal entities.
Li says he is the only right path.
I know of yet another Mr. Xiao who claims, "I am
the manifestation of Vairocana, the Lord of tens and
thousands of Buddhas in the universe. Sheng-yen Lu is
only a tiny little Buddha who is under my jurisdiction."
All right! The reason I write this article is to convey
the message that everyone has claimed to have
attained realization and reached enlightenment, that
they say others are bad and that he or she alone is the
greatest, praising themselves and discrediting others,
competing to beat others in the game of being the
biggest and highest in spiritual attainment.
I just want to say this to you, as a Buddhist and
practitioner, you need to open your eyes to discern:
Who really is being egotistical?
Who really are praising themselves and discredit-
Self Importance
Master Ching Hai once told her disciples,
"Presently, there are indeed some enlight-
ened masters in this world. I am the Enlightened
Master. When you find me, there is no further need to
search out for others. I am the One."
What Master Ching Hai said is fair and modest
enough.
Someone by the name of Li who runs a certain
Gong once said, "The Dharma transmitted by
Sakyamuni Buddha is just a minor teaching. The
Dharma or Fa that I transmit is Da Fa, or major teach-
ing. In the past, man cultivated Dharma. Today it is
Dharma or Fa that cultivates man."
Someone asked Mr. Li, "Presently, who is liberat-
ing sentient beings in this world?"
Mr. Li said, "Only me. There is no other."
What this statement implies is that Mr Li feels he
is the only "Buddha" in the whole universe, whereas all
86
Chapter 9
89
Translated by: Wilhall Lee
How to Settle One's Thoughts
Adisciple once asked me, "My distracting
thoughts stray vigorously and are unstop-
pable. How do we settle all such distracting thoughts?"
I answered, "Tibetan Tantric Buddhism teaches
one to chant the one-syllable mantra "Pei." By doing
so, distracting thoughts are immediately stopped, there-
fore settling one's mind into emptiness."
"What if that does not help?"
"You may utilize the method of Zen contemplation.
Follow the distracting thoughts to trace their origin, and
as you incessantly trace the origin of the thoughts, you
will realize that they are really empty and illusory in
nature. When you understand that they are but mere
conjectures of emptiness and illusions, the thoughts will
be cut through."
"What if the current thought is detached, only to
be replaced by another thought?"
Book 156
Whispers of the Breeze
Chapter 1
ing others?
Who really has wonderful teachings?
Who is able to remain undistracted?
And who is the perfectly enlightened hermit?
88
91
all phenomena are devoid of inherent existence.
During the time of the Buddha, Arhats lived in
caves, beneath trees, and among graveyards in order
to reflect on these four contemplations. Because they
were able to realize that the human body is impure,
their fires of lust were extinguished. Because they were
able to realize that emotions lead to suffering, they con-
stantly upheld the intentions of renunciation and tran-
scendence of worldly desires. By realizing the fluctuat-
ing nature of the mind, they no longer held on to the
thought of self-grasping. By realizing all phenomena
are devoid of any inherent existence, they were able to
realize that all existences are inherently void.
By reflecting on the Four Earnest Contemplat-
ions, each thought becomes clear and purposeful.
By recalling and holding each thought continuous-
ly so as not to forget, one's thoughts are gradually puri-
fied, eradicating greed, hatred and ignorance. When all
thoughts are continually focused on the correct path,
one no longer has any impure or defiled thoughts, thus
one becomes completely immersed in the great path
towards liberation of the body and soul.
"Use one single thought to block all other
thoughts. Have a correct thought to replace all distract-
ing thoughts. This is the visualization technique of
Tantrayana. As long as you focus on this visualization
and practice it with utmost effort and diligence, all dis-
tracting thoughts will no longer arise."
I honestly tell my disciples that about two thou-
sand five hundred years ago, Shakyamuni Buddha told
us:
"For an ordinary person, there is only one correct
path that leads to purification, the conquering of anxiety
and grief, and the banishment of anguish and suffer-
ings. To walk on this path is to practice the Four
Earnest Contemplations."
We must constantly focus our thoughts on:
Contemplation of the body - observe that the body
is impure.
Contemplation of the emotions - observe that
emotions lead to suffering.
Contemplation of the mind - observe that the mind
always fluctuates.
Contemplation of the phenomena - observe that
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93
Temporary Manifestations
Someone once asked me, "What is fame?"
I answered, "Illusory existence, illusory cessation!"
Question: "What then is wealth?"
Answer: "Something that just lets you look at it idly
for a few years, on borrowed terms!"
Question: "What about physical attraction?"
Answer: "Nothing but dry bones!"
Truthfully speaking, wealth, physical attraction and
fame are all but life's temporary manifestations, that is
to say for a moment you may have, but the next you
may not. Wealth, physical attraction, and fame are
merely manifestations that exist and desist in continu-
um. Modern people rack their brains to pursue them
zealously. If we so pursue them with reckless abandon,
scheming and plotting, intent on securing them be it by
force or trickery, they will inevitably lead us to hatred
and anger, and thoughts of unbridled greed. In the end,
Chapter 4During the Buddha's time, there were many disci-
ples who achieved fruition. They had concentrated their
minds and efforts into their meditation practices by fol-
lowing the Four Earnest Contemplations.
92
95
That physical beauty is really cloaking a bag of dry
bones!
All these may provide temporary happiness, but at
the same time, they also bear dangerous pitfalls and
the cause for affliction.
After long periods of observation, Shakyamuni
Buddha concluded that the root of all suffering is the
greed of the human heart.
they will eventually lead us to our downfall whereby we
would suffer in the three foul paths down below.
That is why we must break free from the delusions
of wealth, physical attraction, and fame. We must be
able to correctly understand the perils of blind pursuit
and recognize the truth. Do not engender any attach-
ment; you will then naturally be led to the path to libera-
tion.
Let us think for one moment that if Prince
Siddhartha had craved for the throne, for palatial treas-
ures and wealth, for his queen and his concubines,
today there would be no Shakyamuni Buddha, no
World-honored One. It would not be too preposterous
to postulate the demise of the Sakya kingdom, the cap-
ture of its palace and territory, and the execution of
King Siddhartha by King Lapis Lazuli, all eventually
ending in naught, ending in an ocean of sufferings.
A practitioner should possess such understanding:
That fame is really nothing but illusory existence
and illusory cessation!
That riches merely afford you a few years of blank
contentment!
94
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